DISCLAIMER: I don't own Gravitation. I have no right to use the characters like I do in this story, and I apologize. How horrible of me. Meh. So sorry, Mr. Murakami.
AUTHOR's NOTES: At the request of my beloved readers, I hereby give you 'The Sequel' in the form of a second chapter. Thank you ApplesandBannas, KagomeGirl21, Kathy, Tessa, Saint Germain, Plotbunnybrat, eXnay, Seth, BC, Atiya aka secret411 and Ruby-sama aura-chan the neko-jin's yami for your encouraging words. -Lances
--
A Brilliant, Dancing Dream PART#2
by Lances
Sakuma Ryuichi really loved tea with milk. He loved also banana lollipops with red strawberry stripes and breakfast toast coated liberally with orange marmalade. He loved sunshine in the winter and rain in the summer, and he loved it when Tohma ruffled his hair.
He loved quite many things, really.
But Shindou Shuichi... he loved the most.
And now, sitting at his kitchen table and slowly enjoying hot tea with milk, he let his thoughts travel back in time. Not very far away, though, for he was rather worried that he might lose his thoughts for good, lest he would allow them to travel very far all on their own; but it was safe to let them a few hours back, to the previous evening, when Shuichi had been here to see him.
There had, again, been another fight between the young singer and his life companion Yuki Eiri. Those fights had long ago surpassed the definition of a regular habit, and Ryuichi was becoming more and more concerned every day. Not just for Shu-chan's sake, but for his own as well. It ached Ryuichi's heart to watch Shuichi cry; but it ached even more when he knew he wasn't allowed to do anything about it.
No-one in their right mind would want to cross Yuki Eiri.
Ryuichi wondered briefly if he could consider his mind being right, but decided the complicated matter by deciding that not even crazy people would want to cross Yuki Eiri. The man had, after all, killed once. Or thrice. Ryuichi didn't really remember, but he had heard it all from Kumagoro several years back, who had accidentally heard it from Tohma-san and Mika-chan when they had been talking.
Ryuichi sighed. He found the tea didn't taste as good as before and pushed the mug away. This was all so crazy and wrong. Ryuichi couldn't understand how anyone could treat poor, sweet Shindou-san like Yuki always did. It was plain horrible. If only Shuichi had been his boyfriend, he sure would have treated him better.
No, no, no, na no da. NO thinking that way.
Ryuichi was angry at himself. Not just because he had revealed his true feelings to Shuichi the previous night, in the heat of the moment, but also because he had allowed himself to think If Only-things again. Noriko-chan had always warned him about If Only-things; they were dangerous to his mind, which, Ryuichi understood, wasn't very good at handling confusing matters. So Ryuichi just shook his head and held Kumagoro tight against his chest.
Shuichi had left the apartment unnoticed somewhere during the early morning hours, without waking him up. Maybe the youngster had panicked and fled as fast as he could. After all, he had been sleeping in Ryuichi's arms, which was not something that should have happened. Ever.
What exactly had gone wrong yesterday?
Everything, maybe?
Ryuichi stood up and walked through the living room out to the balcony, his feet cold against the tiled floor. Warm yet refreshing morning wind surrounded him, making the light canvas of his long-sleeved white shirt flap against his sides and back. His lengthy brown hair fought hard against becoming a tangled mess and Ryuichi wiped it back from his eyes, watching the colourful city far below him.
So, it was Wednesday. And he would do best to pull his act together again.
--
Wednesdays were always nice days at work. They were days when Tohma held many meetings with strange people and Noriko-chan locked herself up in the studio to train with the synthesizer. Ryuichi, therefore, was left pretty much on his own devices on Wednesdays, and he usually spent them at the NG cafeteria or some other inspiring place to write new songs and lyrics for Nittle Grasper.
Today, he had decided to sit at the cafeteria. Not many people understood why he often chose such an un-inspiring place for his inspiration-demanding job, but the fact was that Ryuichi was not the type of person who found inspiration in melting snow or wilting flowers. Instead, Ryuichi found inspiration when watching the real life unfolding in front of his eyes: excited young wannabes bouncing up and down the hallways in unsatisfied anticipation, grumpy-looking managers talking to their cellular phones without even really moving their lips, band members arguing over the cover of their new CD, a cleaning lady polishing the leaves of a lone ficus... All this Sakuma Ryuichi found utterly fascinating.
Just as fascinating as he found the cute little arse... eyes of Shindou Shuichi, who suddenly emerged from the elevator, wearing the shortest pair of violet leather shorts Ryuichi had ever seen on him. Or on anybody.
The pen dropped from Ryuichi's fingers as he watched the sight before him. If the tight shorts with all those slightly shimmering metal fastenings weren't enough, Shuichi just had to choose this day to wear also sexy black boots that reached above his knees and a white, see-though frilly shirt that was way too open at the front. A black cowboy hat lay deep in his head, underneath which several strays of pink hair were sticking out, shadowing his pretty face.
Ryuichi swallowed and blushed. "Good lord fucking Balthazar..."
He realised he was staring and hastily looked away. He picked up his pen again and began to write furiously. He didn't know what he wrote, but it didn't matter, just as long as Shuichi didn't realise he was still staring. Several teasing memories from the previous night suddenly invaded his mind and made him curse his own stupidity for turning down Shuichi's eager suggestions. This was Not Good.
I need to get a hold of myself... Yes, Ryu-chan, get a hold of yourself... Just like Tohma-san has taught you... Ryuichi realised his palms were sweating. Shindou Shuichi belongs to Yuki Eiri. Don't touch him. Ever. Not even when he's drunk and crazy enough to offer.
"Hey, Sakuma-san!"
Ryuichi stiffened and accidentally bit his lip so hard it began to bleed. Shuichi had noticed him and was now coming over. The movements of his narrow hips were simply hypnotizing and Ryuichi briefly wondered if the younger man was purposefully teasing him.
"Hey, Shu-chan." Ryuichi sucked his lower lip to end the bleeding. "Feeling better today, ne?"
"Yeah. Tremendously better. We're working on a new music video today, as you can see." Shuichi gestured at his clothes, smiling, and sat down next to him. Their knees brushed and Ryuichi let ot a small mewling sound before carefully scooting away. Shuichi eyed the paper in front of them that was now full of inane words. "What are you doing? Writing lyrics? Won't you let me see?"
"Er..." Ryuichi covered the mess with his hands. "Not yet. But soon. They're Kumagoro's gift to you. He told me to write them down since he doesn't know how to write himself, na no da."
"Well that's so sweet!" Shuichi grinned and his eyes were sparkling at Ryuichi. "I can't wait to see them!"
Ryuichi grinned back, although he was feeling more horrified than happy. "I'll give them to you right away when they're finished. Promise."
Shuichi suddenly reached out and brushed a tendril of brown hair out of Ryuichi's eyes. "By the way, thanks for last night. I really appreciate it."
"N-no problem. That's what friends are for. Helping each other through difficult times. And we're still friends, aren't we, Shu-chan?"
Shuichi only smiled. It was a strange kind of smile that made Ryuichi instantly worry. Usually it was easy for him to interpret people's feelings, but something in Shuichi's smile was very guarded this morning. Maybe the previous night was truly bothering the lad even though he wasn't admitting it out loud.
Maybe things really had gone too far?
Yes. Perhaps that was it. Perhaps he had been too straightforward with his confessions? He'd even said the F-word! What kind of an idiot says the F-word instead of 'I want to make love to you'? Ryuichi cursed himself in his mind, and he cursed Kumagoro, too, for the first time in his life. He glanced at the bunny who was sitting on the table, looking pointedly elsewhere as if not wanting to see Ryuichi's mental distress.
"You're going to be home tonight?" Shuichi asked, tilting his head slightly to one side. "I mean, I only ask because I forgot something and I'd like to get it back."
"Um, yeah, I'll be there." Ryuichi coughed, and sucked his lip again. It was still bleeding. "It's not like I have much else to do than sit home and watch telly, you know. So you can drop by any time."
Shuichi frowned then, and looked down. "Sakuma-san..."
Ryuichi was stuffing the papers in his backpack. He didn't want Shuichi to see them by accident. "Yeah? What is it, Shu-chan? You look worried."
"I guess I am, a little."
"Well, I... I hope... I mean, I hope it isn't because of last night. You understand that I would never do anything bad to you. Like, never ever."
Shuichi looked at him in the eyes, confused. "Huh? What? No! That's not what I was thinking about. I know you wouldn't hurt me. I trust you, Ryu-chan. With all my heart. I trust you like I trust Hiro."
Ryuichi let out a breath and smiled. "Well, that's a relief to know. Ne, Kumagoro?"
The bunny nodded its head enthusiastically.
"What I was about to ask you just now..." Shuichi continued. "Sakuma-san, how many friends do you have?"
Ryuichi was surprised by this question and began to scratch his head beneath his red headband. "Well, I've got lots of friends. It's kind of hard to count."
"I'm talking about those friends you see every week, or at least every month, and spend some quality time with them."
"Oh? Well, there's Kumagoro, Noriko-chan, Tohma and Mika-chan... And K... and you."
"That's not what I meant, Sakuma-san. I'm not talking about working colleagues. I'm talking about... other friends."
"Well, I don't know. K always says I don't think enough about who are my friends and who are just strangers." Ryuichi pursed his lips in thought, not looking at Shuichi's hands that were playing with the fancy leather band that was fastened tight around his small neck. "But I'd like to imagine I've got lots of friends. Back in Southern Cali I did. I guess. I'm just not allowed to meet them since I'm so famous these days and K thinks my friends might do something to hurt me."
"So you don't really have anyone to talk to, when things get bad?" Shuichi probed on.
"I talk to Kumagoro. He's always with me." Ryuichi didn't like this questioning, and it must have showed from his face since Shuichi suddenly grinned and changed the subject.
"Hey, Sakuma-san, what do you think about throwing another joint concert with me? I mean, Nittle Grasper together with Bad Luck? Next summer in Ibiza? It would be great!"
Shuichi was clearly hopeful, his legs swaying back and forth beneath the table and his eyes large and expectant. How could Ryuichi turn down anything Shuichi suggested, he did not know. But he had managed to do it last night –a miracle in itself. No, no, do NOT think about last night, baka.
Ryuichi played with Kumagoro's ears as he finally answered. "I don't know, Shu-chan. I would certainly want to, but Tohma-san might have different ideas."
"Tell me, what's a better way to promote both NG's most famous bands than letting them perform on the same stage? Tohma did it once before, three years back, remember?" Shuichi wouldn't give up. "I would really love to do it, you know. I love your voice, and I hardly ever get to see you on tour since we're having our respective tour with Bad Luck usually at the same time."
"What are you talking about? You've heard me sing thousands of times, probably even more. Aren't you getting bored with me?" Ryuichi laughed.
"Bored? With you? You must be kidding me. After all, you're my deity!" Shuichi stood up and stretched out, exposing his slim waist and navel to Ryuichi's keen examination as his shirt was tugged upwards with the movement. "Think about it, will you? I must be going now. We're shooting the underwater part in thirty minutes in the nearby swimming hall and I still haven't changed my outfit. I'm supposed to wear a pair of skin-licking pink PVC trousers and nothing else."
"Gah!" Ryuichi sputtered. "You don't have to tell me!"
"I think you're going to love our new video!" Shuichi teased.
"I think I'm going to love your arse in those pants better." Ryuichi winked at the pink-haired singer.
Shuichi giggled and gave him a wet kiss on the cheek before bouncing back to the elevators. He turned to look over his shoulder before entering the lift. "I'll see you in the evening, then, Ryu-chan!"
--
Taking bubble baths was one of Sakuma Ryuichi's favourite diversions. He didn't know what could better make him relax than playing with his rather admirable collection of rubber duckies while lolling listlessly in the embrace of the hot water, inhaling the aroma therapeutic fumes. Ryuichi always took bubble baths before big concerts or important interviews because they made him simply feel good about himself.
Tonight, however, the bath didn't seem to help. He'd spiked the water twice as strong as usual with the dazing incentives, and he still wasn't feeling good. He was feeling gloomy.
Hours and hours he had waited... and Shuichi hadn't come. The hands of the little clock over the sink (Ryuichi had taken it there just to torture himself) were both rapidly nearing number 12, and the ghosting hour would soon begin.
Ryuichi dived underneath the water's surface. It didn't matter that Shuichi hadn't come. Except maybe a little. Maybe a very, very little. Or maybe very much. What had he been expecting again? That his little beautiful daydream would burst in, arms wide open, and answer all of his suffocated feelings? No way. That was something that would never happen. For who could possibly be of any competition to the gorgeous, famous and clever Yuki Eiri? Certainly not Sakuma Ryuichi who, despite also being famous, was also seemingly childish, confused and off his rocker; an oddity whom nobody ever took seriously except on stage.
Ryuichi re-surfaced and accidentally sloshed the water so that one of his favourite rubber duckies fell out of the bathtub onto the wet, tiled floor. He squeaked in alarm and tried to reach it, but his arms seemed to be too short. Muttering angrily at himself, he got out of the bathtub to pick up the poor slighted duck.
Ding dong...
The doorbell rang just as he'd gotten up. He looked at his reflection in the full-length mirror on the wall and only saw a horrified, pale face surrounded by foam.
"Fuck... Is it him?" Ryuichi threw the duck back into the bath and grabbed the nearest towel. "Why now? Why does he have to come now, when I'm looking like this? Not that it matters... He's here just to fetch something he forgot. Calm down, Ryu-chan... Calm down..."
As he spoke to himself this way, he hastened towards the front door. He wrapped the towel tightly around his hips and peered into the eye on the door. Red hair, like the colour of a partly ripened strawberry, covered nearly all of his vision. It was Shuichi, then.
Ding dong...
"All right, I'm coming!" Ryuichi quipped as he began to open the door.
Shuichi's brightly grinning face was in front of him in a matter of seconds. "Evening, Sakuma-san! Sorry my lateness, but can I c... whoa! What are you wearing?"
Blushing, Ryuichi realised he wasn't actually wearing anything else but his most horrible towel, the bright green one with white flowers. "I, er... I was having a bath just now, and..."
"Are those bubbles in your hair?" Shuichi laughed.
Ryuichi glared at him indignantly. "Is there something wrong with having a bubble bath, in your opinion?"
"No, of course not. I just..." Shuichi wiped some of the foam out of Ryuichi's ear, smelled it, and seemed pleased. "I've just never had one myself before. Can I join you?"
"WHAT?" Shuichi bounced inside and Ryuichi closed the front door.
Shuichi began to divest his clothes as he walked towards the living room. He shed his jacket and his collared shirt over the couch and then began to unbutton his jeans. Ryuichi was panicking as he watched those quick fingers working.
"Shuichi, w-what are you doing?"
"I can't well bathe with all my clothing on, now can I?"
"Well, I guess... Um..." Ryuichi didn't know what to make of things –or where to look at. "I'll just go shower quickly and then I'll make you a fresh bath."
Shuichi was fast and grabbed Ryuichi's upper arm before the older man could escape. He looked at Ryuichi's flushed face with the greatest amount of amusement. "Don't be so nervous, Sakuma-san. It's just me, Shuichi. You don't have to be so considerate with me, I'm practically your best friend at the moment. I don't mind sharing the same bath with you."
"Exactly." Ryuichi glared at him pointedly. "And that's just the problem, isn't it?"
Shuichi began to massage his arm, grinning wickedly. "Problem?"
"Haven't you learned anything from last night?" Ryuichi shivered under the teasing touch despite he was rapidly growing angry. Or maybe it was the cool air on his bare, wet skin that made him so damn fidgety. "Don't try to seduce me. I know you're fucking irresistible, and I'd like nothing more than to get it on with you, but I already told you that I don't want to get involved in your lovers' quarrel with Eiri-san."
Shuichi looked at him with innocent, wide eyes. "Quarrel? But there's no quarrel..."
"What is it that you forgot here yesterday and came to retrieve? Just take it and leave."
"All right." Shuichi's smile never faltered when he abruptly pulled Ryuichi in his arms and kissed him, deep and hard. Ryuichi's muffled yelp didn't help him, and he soon found his mouth being plundered by Shuichi's eager tongue. He felt butterflies in his tummy and saw stars behind his eyes and he thought for an instant that he was flying. And he couldn't damn well do anything but drown in the dazing sensations.
Shuichi pulled back and kissed the tip of Ryuichi's nose. "That was what I forgot."
Panting, Ryuichi looked into the vibrant, violet eyes of the younger man. "You shouldn't have done that."
"Now, now..." Shuichi's hands were trailing along the waistline of Ryuichi's towel. "Then you have no other choice... but to punish me."
"You're masochistic or what?" Ryuichi growled as he took a fistful of Shuichi's long hair and twisted. "I could do so many things to you right now and send you home crying. Is that what you want?"
Shuichi grabbed Ryuichi's arse and pulled their hips together. "You can make me cry... but you can't make me any more hot and bothered than this."
They had a short staring contest which Ryuichi lost, to his own dismay. He let go of Shuichi's hair, pulled away and sat down on the couch. "Why must you be so stubborn? Why can't you believe I'm not safe to play with? If only you knew what I'm capable of, you wouldn't want to be even near me. I'm begging you, one last time... stop this torture and get back to your senses."
"Sakuma-san... I'm not afraid of you. Just by saying all these things, you've proved yourself a caring, considerate person. No matter what you say, I'm not giving up on you."
"I never knew you could be this selfish, Shu-chan."
"What?" Shuichi's eyes widened with surprise. "What do you mean by selfish?"
"Can't you see...?" Ryuichi covered his face with his hands. "Can't you see that you're hurting me?"
"H-hurting you?"
"Yes!" Ryuichi growled. "You're hurting me very bad, Shu-chan! You make me feel so cheap! You think it's only sex I want from you? Well guess what, that's not quite the case here. I... I will be torn apart. Shuichi... if you give me your love even for the smallest of moments and then take it away... I can't handle it. I really can't. So please don't mess with me anymore. This is already too much for me."
"Sakuma-san..." Shuichi walked over to him and laid his hands on his shoulders. His touch felt cold against the bare skin. "You're being scarily serious again."
"No shit?" Ryuichi gave a dry laugh. "Despite what you might think, I do have some serious feelings inside of me sometimes, and when I talk about them, I don't joke."
"I'm sorry," Shuichi offered.
Ryuichi sighed. "Yeah, whatever."
"I'm sorry I haven't been able to make myself clear," Shuichi continued. "Let me try this another way: I want to be with you. I broke up with Yuki tonight, and although he was rather shocked and maybe even a little sad, I know he'll get over it eventually. Maybe even sooner than what he should. However, it was I who left him, as a result of a long conversation with him, during which I realised I was not happy with him. During which I realised... I had already found that missing happiness with someone else."
Ryuichi couldn't breathe. Shuichi stroked his cheek.
"My life's been a real mess for the past few years. Even without my problems with Yuki, I've had a hard time trying to make Bad Luck succeed. Oh yes, I've yelled and fought, I've collapsed and cried, I've been drinking and I've been on drugs once or twice. But there's always, and I mean always, been somebody who's understood my feelings, who has once gone through the exact same things. And that somebody has picked me up, made me whole again, made me believe in myself again time and time again... made me always laugh and smile, despite the hardships of life. And all this has been done in the most unselfish way, without any expectations of compensation. I don't know what I might've done to myself during these past turmultuous years if I hadn't had you by my side... Ryuichi."
"Stop it, Shu-chan..."
"No, you stop it! Stop acting like you're doing me a favour by turning me down! Because you're not. What is it with all this 'you don't want to get involved with me' stuff? What are you hiding? I've dated a murderer for the past five years, damn it!"
"That's not... I mean..."
"Out with it, Sakuma Ryuichi, or I'll ask K for a visit. Along with his AK-47."
"You wouldn't!" Ryuichi gasped.
"Try me." Shuichi smirked.
"I'm thirteen years older than you, for starters!" Ryuichi glared up at the other man who was standing in front of him, trying to look menacing.
Shuichi gaped at him and then began to laugh. "What's that got to do with anything?"
"Well it damn well sounded better than 'I'm violent in bed', didn't it!" Ryuichi yelled, irritated.
Shuichi blinked. "Ah."
"I... I've been trying to tell you." Ryuichi couldn't look Shuichi in the eye. "I've hurt somebody before. In bed. A little. And a lot."
"But you wouldn't hurt me." Shuichi's soothing touch moved to caress Ryuichi behind the left ear. "I already told you. I'm not afraid of you."
"Shuichi... You don't know what you're talking about. Can't you see that I'm dangerous?"
"Dangerous? You?" Shuichi kissed the top of Ryuichi's head. "Listen here... Hurting somebody physically is bad, of course. But I think hurting somebody's mind is far worse than that. And that's what Yuki did to me. All the time. And that's what you could never do."
"I... I guess." Ryuichi found himself fidgeting again.
Shuichi went to sit in his lap, nuzzling his face against his neck. "So... What happened? When... you know. When you were violent?"
Ryuichi stiffened and swallowed. "I was too eager, I think. He cried a lot, and I didn't stop."
"Hn. You should've prepared him better." Shuichi nibbled Ryuichi's neck with his teeth.
"I know!" Ryuichi whined, feeling utterly distracted by Shuichi's teasing ministrations. "I didn't know what I was doing. It was my first time with another man... and consequently the last."
"No, not the last..." Shuichi pulled the older singer towards him and kissed him gently on the lips. "Because I want to be your last."
"Shuichi... I'm not..."
"Hush now." Shuichi slid his hands down Ryuichi's body and grasped the green-and-white towel, tearing it open. "Don't you know what they say? That you must face your fears in order to get rid of them."
"Shut up..." Ryuichi closed his eyes, trembling with both cold and desire as expert hands began to stroke him. Shuichi sure knew how to push his buttons, the little brat. "Fuck..."
"Mmm, yes... fuck..." Shuichi whispered in his ear, his warm breath sending shivers down Ryuichi's spine. "So what did you think about that hot bath again?"
"I think the water's already too cold," Ryuichi whispered, grabbing Shuichi's arse.
"Then let's make a new one." Shuichi smiled. "I want to play with the bubbles."
--
The morning dawned and Sakuma Ryuichi pulled a young, beautiful man with strawberry red hair in his arms. Warm breath caressed the nape of his neck, and a leg was carelessly thrown over his waist. Shindou Shuichi snuggled closer, hot and sweet and sticky like freshly made butterscotch. And Ryuichi loved it.
There was a lick and a nibble and another long lick on his neck, and Ryuichi was instantly aroused. He couldn't understand it, though, because he was totally spent. They had done it five times during the past eight hours and it was more sex than what he'd had in eight years. Not that he complained. It was namely also the best sex he'd ever had. No wonder his body responded well to Shuichi's new advances.
"Morning, kiddo." Ryuichi grinned sleepily. "Not tired of me yet, hm?"
"Of course not, Ryu." Shuichi murmured as he moved downwards to tongue-fuck the other man's navel –a place he'd found the most sensitive spot for Ryuichi the previous night. Even now, the Nittle Grasper's vocalist was biting his lip in order to hold back his moans. "After all, you're the first one who's ever let me do the fucking. I have no intent whatsoever to get tired of you. Ever."
Ryuichi moaned now, unable to help himself. "What? You... You've never topped before? After all these years with Eiri-san?"
"Nope. And I only did it once last night, and you got to do me four times, so I really think I have every right to take you." Shuichi moved even lower. "Like, right now."
"Well, if you put it like that..." Ryuichi began, but couldn't continue as Shuichi's soft and wet mouth engulfed him, stealing all his brain activity away.
Thirty minutes later they were both sweaty and tangled in the sheets. Ryuichi's face was buried into the pillow and he was panting heavily. Shuichi's head was resting between his shoulderblades and soft lips were kissing his skin, making him feel very much loved. The moment was perfect –until Shuichi's cell phone began to ring.
"Aren't you going to answer that?" Ryuichi asked when Shuichi didn't move.
"I guess I should..." Shuichi got up lazily, pulled on a pair of pajama trousers and padded into the living room where his phone was most obviously located. "It's probably Yuki."
Ryuichi felt the effects of this declaration immediately. His blood felt suddenly like ice in his veins and his skin turned sensitive to all touch. This was the moment he'd been fearing all the time; the moment when his life and his heart would be torn apart. Ryuichi knew that if only Yuki chose his words right, Shuichi would go running back to him.
Feeling his throat constricting with suffocated tears, Ryuichi sat up and looked around the room to find Kumagoro. He found the stuffed animal under the nightstand and pulled it against his chest, squeezing it with force that would've hurt the poor bunny had it been real.
"Do you think we'll be alone again, Ku-Kumagoro?" he asked, his voice broken by a silent sob.
The bunny didn't know what to say. Ryuichi's eyes filled with tears and he wiped them angrily away. I won't cry. I won't. I knew this was coming. It was stupid of me to believe it would last. Go fuck yourself, Sakuma Ryuichi.
"What's wrong?" Shuichi's voice came from the direction of the bedroom door. "Ryu-chan... are you crying?"
"It's nothing." Embarrassed, Ryuichi dived under the sheets with Kumagoro. "So... When will he come to pick you up?"
"What?" Shuichi snorted. "Is that what's bothering you? You think I'm going to return to Yuki?"
Ryuichi buried his head underneath the pillow. "I wouldn't be surprised. After all, you love him, right? More than anything or anyone else in the world?"
"I... I guess it's true that I will always love him. Nothing can really change that. But, you know..." Shuichi sat down next to the other man and began to play with the few locks of brown hair that were still showing. "Love isn't always enough. Good relationships are based on more than that. Good relationships are based on friendship. And Yuki and I... We were never really friends. Unlike you and I."
"What? Do you mean to tell me we're now friends with benefits, or some shit like that?"
"That's not what I meant, baka." Shuichi sighed. "It's entirely possible to love many people at the same time. And I do love you, Ryu-chan. I've just realised it, myself."
"Cut the crap," was the muffled reply.
Shuichi stood up and, by the sounds of it, went to rummage through Ryuichi's wardrobe. Ryuichi wondered what was happening, but before he could guess, he'd been pulled out of the bed and dragged onto the floor. Shuichi was standing above him, wearing the old, pink Kumagoro outfit he'd once used when announcing Bad Luck that it had sold one million albums.
"You can put that stuffed animal away now. I'm kind of jealous of it, damn it. I'll be your new Kumagoro from now on. Hug me, not that toy!" Shuichi yelled. "Or... Is it possible for you to love the both of us?"
Ryuichi couldn't but start laughing. Laughing at Shuichi, laughing at the silly bunny outfit, laughing at himself. He opened his arms and Shuichi dived in his embrace. "All right, kiddo. You win. I think I can love you as much as I love Kumagoro. That is, if I try real hard."
"Aw, but I want you to love me more." Shuichi whined.
"Truth be told..." Ryuichi grinned and squeezed him tight against his chest. "I think I already do."
--
End. I guess.
A/N: That was the second part. I hope you enjoyed it. I had planned on writing a third part from Yuki's point of view, but I guess I won't. I have so many other ideas going on in my head right now. But, we'll see. Maybe one day. Thank you for reading my story, I really appreciate the attention. Feedback is always welcome, whether you liked the story or not. -Lances